Where does your market & competitive intelligence function stand?
Take our free intelligence maturity assessment and discover where your market and competitive intelligence capabilities stand. In 5 minutes, you’ll know which stage you’re at to better understand how to turn your intelligence function from reactive research to strategic competitive advantage.
Frequently asked questions
01 What is the Intelligence Maturity Framework?
The Intelligence Maturity Framework is Valona’s model for measuring how intelligence functions evolve from reactive information gathering to strategic competitive advantage. Developed over 25 years of consulting with Fortune 500 companies, it identifies five distinct stages:
- Level 1: Informal – Ad-hoc firefighting with fragmented sources
- Level 2: Basic – Operational insights with part-time coordination
- Level 3: Intermediate – Systematic monitoring with dedicated resources
- Level 4: Advanced – Strategic integration with predictive capabilities
- Level 5: World-Class – Organizational foresight driving competitive advantage
The framework provides a roadmap that hundreds of intelligence teams have used to advance their capabilities systematically.
02 How accurate is the Intelligence Maturity Calculator?
This is our quick, five-minute diagnostic tool built on our Global Intelligence Survey dataset spanning 20 years and 1,000+ organizations worldwide. It evaluates your responses against the same 6 Key Success Factors (Focus, Organization, Process, Tools & AI, Deliverables, Culture) that we use in our comprehensive assessments delivered to clients worldwide.
The calculator provides directional guidance and identifies your current maturity level.
03 How long does the assessment take?
The calculator takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. We deliberately kept it focused on the highest-impact questions that reveal the most about your intelligence maturity level.
04 What makes Valona’s framework different from other maturity models?
Our framework measures intelligence effectiveness across six interdependent dimensions rather than focusing solely on processes or technology adoption. It also incorporates extensive insights from our Global Intelligence Survey, spanning 20 years of pattern tracking across hundreds of organizations.
The framework emphasizes the business impact of intelligence capabilities and provides guidance on what typically happens when organizations advance from each level to the next.
05 What happens after I complete the assessment?
You’ll instantly receive your Intelligence Maturity Level on screen, along with a link to learn more about the Intelligence Maturity Framework.
06 Can I benchmark against similar organizations?
Yes, though the calculator itself provides your maturity level rather than detailed benchmarking.
For comprehensive benchmarking data, you can refer to our Global Intelligence Report, which includes insights from our 20th Anniversary Global Intelligence Survey.
07 How do I know if I should invest in advancing my intelligence maturity?
If your organization is making strategic decisions worth millions of dollars, intelligence capabilities become increasingly important.
Our research shows that organizations at advanced and world-class levels tend to outperform their peers in decision-making speed and strategic agility. The framework helps you determine the most practical path forward for your specific situation.
08 What if my organization is just getting started with intelligence?
That’s completely normal—most organizations start at Level 1 or 2. The framework is designed to meet you where you are and provide clear next steps.
Organizations that use a systematic approach to intelligence development typically advance more efficiently and avoid common pitfalls. Starting with clear benchmarks and proven practices helps you build credibility faster than trial and error.
09 How often should we reassess our intelligence maturity?
We recommend reassessing annually, or after major organizational changes (new leadership, M&A activity, significant market disruption). Intelligence maturity isn’t static—it can advance or regress based on resource allocation, leadership support, and market pressures.
Many of our clients use the framework as part of their annual intelligence planning process, tracking progress against specific maturity goals rather than just activity metrics.